Inspired Holidays {Day 10}:: Tips for Mantels & Display Shelves

Here is a round up of ideas for Fall mantels and display shelves from my inspiration files. I shared a few mantel tips last year as well with my own Christmas mantel. I like to look at inspiration photos to get tips and ideas for layering, accessorizing and other creative ways of decorating using what I have.

Books and vases and other items can be used for stacking varied accessories at different heights for visual interest. Notice the mix of textures from the roughness of the mantel to the bumpy textures of the pumpkins to the shiny vases!

A random vintage collection of treasures is a way to show off personal stories and memories as a focal point. You don’t have to have a staged look, it is your home! Decorate the mantel the way you want to!

Comments

I like the mantel ideas. I especially like the bag next to the fireplace with the pumpkins in it. What a great idea and something I can do in my apartment. Pottery Barn has some fun spooky accessories that would be great for a mantel or shelf!

These are lovely pictures. Oh, how I wish I had a normal mantle! Instead I’ve got a weird off-set media shelf above my fireplace. Sometime in the next week or two, I’ll attempt to decorate it for fall.

HI Melissa, I love this post! I’m all about shelves and mantels for the Holidays. They just scream at me to be redone for the holidays. I love all the ideas you have shown here…they are wonderful. I have a woodstove in our older farmhouse…oh well…but I’ve made up for no mantel with other shelves and I just love decorating them this time of year. I’m enjoying all your posts and all the participants…it’s just wonderful.
Blessings,
Debbie

Yes, I do look at vignettes and bookshelves and mantels. Of all these, I find one positively annoying because it looks cluttered and the items are diminutive. (It’s the House and Home one.) Now, why couldn’t I just focus on all the other scrumptious ones?

Oh thank you Melissa. This post is so timely. I have been wanting to attack the mantle for many months, but really had no idea what would work. Thank you for these ideas that are so real and “doable”. Btw my favorite happens to be My Blessed Life’s contribution…just our secret…he, he, he. Have a wonderful day!

Oh thank you Melissa. This post couldn’t be more timeley. I have wanted to attack the mantel for quite some time, but had no clue as to where to begin. These examples are so real and “doable”. My favorite happens to be My Blessed Life’s contribution. It just speaks to me. You should hear what it is saying…lol. I hope everyone finds at least one moment of inner peace today.

I LOVE the pleated pale blue skirt on what looks like a bench in the centsational girl photo (white furnishings). Wish I could find something like that! Just linked over to your Christmas mantel post too… how fun that HGTV uses your ideas! Doesn’t surprise me though :)

So much inspiration to start off our week!! Thank you Melissa, I really loved the straw wreath en masse!! I would use white pumpkins just because I am not an orange gal, but I really loved the rustic touches in this mantel. Happy Monday,
Kathysue

Great post! I haven’t gotten to our mantle yet because it is weird and kitty cornered with a TV on it. Any suggestions for decorating around media on the mantle? Would it just be way to tacky or something worth trying to work around?

I don’t know why it took so long, but I’ve recently realized that the reason this one cabinet’s shelves kept bugging me was because I failed to add layers. Since then, I’ve really been paying attention to shelves and displays in shops, on blogs, and in magazines, and have added some depth and variety to that cabinet.

I’ve been enjoying decorating my display shelves this year, I never did that much before, but this year I’ve done the hutch in the kitchen I’ve decorated for 5 holidays already. Reading blogs about it seems inspiring.